The present invention relates to a powder coating system and particularly, to a color change booth used in a powder coating system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a color change booth configured to permit recovery of powder that fails to adhere to objects being coated in the booth.
Powder coating systems that operate to apply a coating of electrostatically charged particles or powder to an object are known. A typical powder coating systems includes a booth through which objects to be coated with powder are conveyed and one or more powder applicators that spray electrostatically charged powder toward the objects to be coated. Some of the particles adhere to the object and some do not. Because powder is fairly expensive, it is desirable to recover the non-adherent powder for re-use in the powder coating system.
Powder is available in a variety of colors. When manufacturers change the color of powder being dispensed by the powder applicator(s), various components of the powder coating system need to be cleaned if powder is being recovered in such a way that powder of one color is not inadvertently contaminated with powder of another color so that it can be reused. It is also highly desirable for the color change process to be completed quickly to maximize utilization of the powder coating system.
According to this disclosure, a powder coating system for coating objects with powder includes a separator assembly configured to remove powder from an air-powder mixture and a booth in which objects are coated with powder. The booth has a bottom wall that overlies the separator. The bottom wall is formed to include an opening through which the air-powder mixture moves into the separator assembly. The powder coating system also includes a hopper assembly that underlies the separator assembly. The powder removed from the air-powder mixture in the separator assembly is fed downwardly to the hopper assembly.
In an illustrative embodiment, the hopper assembly includes a set of wheels that allows the hopper assembly to be wheeled out from under the bottom wall and the separator assembly is carried by the hopper assembly. Air circulation equipment is included in the powder coating system and operates to draw the air-powder mixture downwardly from the booth and into separator assembly. The powder coating system includes powder applicators that spray powder to coat the objects and a powder station that supplies powder to the powder applicators. Powder that is recovered from the air-powder mixture and fed to the hopper assembly is transferred to the powder station for re-use.
Also according to this disclosure, the powder coating system includes a plurality of powder-recovery modules, each of which is interchangeably insertable into the equipment-receiving space to receive the air-powder mixture. Each illustrative powder-recovery module includes a separator assembly and a hopper assembly. When the powder coating system is changed over from coating objects with powder of a first color to coating objects with powder of a second color, a first of the plurality of powder-recovery modules is removed from the equipment-receiving space and a second of the plurality of powder-recovery modules is positioned in the equipment receiving space.
According to this disclosure, after any one of the powder-recovery modules are removed from the equipment-receiving space during color changes, the removed powder-recovery module is disassembled and cleaned. Other portions of the powder coating system are cleaned during color change operations. In the illustrative embodiment, the powder coating system is designed to permit two workers or operators to complete the color change process in 15 minutes or less.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.